Straight From the Bottle

Oh this makes my ovaries ache. I desperately want a child. But it's not really an option for the next few years. One more year of school and then law school. While Mr. goes to grad school.

But oh do I want one.

My daughter was a really easy baby, and when she was very little I always said I would NEVER want another one because there was no way another kid could be as perfect as she was.

She's now 12, and my son is 2, and while he's got his wonderful moments, I would not describe him as easy or perfect. It was great to escape toddlerhood with my daughter having never had a public tantrum, but it's interesting in its own way now dealing with my son going through those same issues. It's just fun seeing how they each come with their own set of positives.

And FYI, my perfect baby girl is now a pretty mellow, easygoing 12-year-old. People always said, "Oh, she's going to give you trouble when she's older!" but I've yet to see it. Being cool is just who she is.

You're right.  I do want to kick you in your flabdomen. :-) I also know that my colicky baby turned sleepless toddler (17 months of interrupted sleep so far) is the reason I'm scared sh!tless of having another one.  When I see posts like this, I think "why me?  why did I get the hard baby?"  But its probably genetic...my mom says I was the same way.  Thank goodness my son is completely adorable or he'd be out on the streets (a joke, obviously).

I'm with Allyssa, right down to the 17 months (excatly) of interrupted sleep.  Mine is also a boy and I think that's part of it.  I was in Babies R Us yesterday looking at all the pregnant moms and thinking how much I liked being pregnant and then I saw the infants in the carriers and thought I was going to have post traumatic stress flashbacks. :-)  

But awesome for you, I like that you are counting your blessings (as am I-- they just don't include sleep!!!)

Girl, if you mention your flabdomen one more time I will scream!  You look so super hot!  Yo' skinny jeans is rockin' lady and you should be proud.  My son Bonham Rocket will be 10 weeks tomorrow and he too has made me drink the baby kool-aid.  My husband is a work from home Dad and we just sit around staring at him and playing with his perfect little self all day.  We've taken him to see two movies (He thought Slumdog was a bit loud but enjoyed Mickey Rourke's performance in the Wrestler, and today we'll see if he enjoys Coraline---don't worry he doesn't watch), and he lets us sleep through the night.  We're taking him to Malibu in March and I can't wait to see how he does on a plane.  Anyway, I'm just so happy you are enjoying these special moments, I love your blogs.  

Oh man, I know where you are! I had an unplanned and flat-out awful pregnancy. I was in labor saying "I'm not sure I'm ready to be a mom!" But James is seven weeks old, and I too have drank the baby kool-aid. He wakes up once around three, eats, and goes back to sleep until sevenish. He's chill, content to watch the world and listen to music or nestle down in my chest. I was never a baby sort of person; I've always preferred toddlers and older, but James makes me want another one really really bad!

I always wanted twins, but it was more of the "get it all over and done with at once" thing. My first baby was a challenge, the second was a perfect little angel and slept perfectly until he hit 3 months and decided to emulate his big brother. sigh. I think you had the right idea, having them further apart!

wowza! your doll makes me want another one!

Nancy - That's awesome. If another person says "just you wait... " I will punch them in the nose. Since Fable's birth people have been waving their fingers at me with their "just you waits..." And I'm like... "uh... wait for what?"

Ashley - Love your son's name! Very cool.

If I wasn't so in love with my own little sleepless wonder I would be very very jealous.  Ok,maybe I am a little jealous.

Until last week, when we had a hard week (seal cough babies are not fun), I would have said the same thing about mine. In fact my husband kids that it's a good thing we didn't have Harrison first, because we'd have twelve by now. My first was not easy at all, my second easy, but never slept. This one, he's awesome.

That being said, eight seems a bit much.

My baby is totally wonderful too but did you have to rub it in that your baby sleeps??? I haven't slept in 4 months and I would kick you in the flabdomen if my flabdomen weren't in the way!

I am loving you more every freakin day!  

I can hardly even read this without feeling crabby and my twins are nearing three.  Having kids wasn't easy for me for ONE single day.  Lovely in many ways, but, man, never easy.

It's amazing how where YOU are in life can affect your babes. I have a friend who had a son with her first husband who was in the military (ie never home, and when he was they always fought). She had another with her second husband (they adore each other, and get along great). The first baby very difficult, the second couldn't be happier or easier. I totally think it's because of where she was in HER life when she had each of them.

She is adorable :) You are lucky.

A comment regarding your quest to get into your skinny jeans: I truely believe that if you restrict calories while you are breastfeading you body is going to fight its hardest to keep on the poundage. It needs to make sure it can provide nurishment for your little one - so don't try to make it think there is some kind of famine going on! Eat what feels right and make sure you get plenty of protein and calcium.

I also believe that your body holds on to the last few (10ish) pounds until you are done breastfeeding... When your baby is weaned is the time to starting thinking about your weight again. There is way to much focus in the media about getting back to pre-baby weight as fast as possible.

I'm speaking from experience. Gained 70lbs (I only weigh about 125 normally) during pregnancy (of course, most of this isn't fat, but again the media would have you think so), breastfed for about a year, and am now back down to my pre-baby weight and jeans. I didn't diet, it just took a while to get back to my pre-baby diet and activity level.

Good luck, and don't stress it :)

oooh my first daughter was just as easy! took her to the movies as an infant and people commented how they were amazed that she didn't cry. toted her around like a purse. we went everywhere. i thought all children should be so well behaved and it was all because i was the most awesome mom ever. then i had my son. he shut me right up. i wanted to apologize to everyone i ever gave a sideways glance to. he was not easy. you have it the opposite and are actually able to appreciate how easy it is because you've already had it tough. lucky you!!!!!

Must be something about second children.  After my first was born it took me almost 4 years to work up the courage to have another and then to my surprise that second kid has been like a vacation!  I think your Fable and my Eden just have fantastic personalities and people who say "just you wait..." can keep their bad mojo to themselves.

Wow Fable sounds like an awesome baby. I hope if I ever have kids, I'm that lucky. Bless her. <3

My jaw is still on the floor thinking about six days without any crying. I'm so jealous! I also have a four month old and 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep sounds like heaven. Ah...a girl can dream.

Girl, you hit the baby jackpot.

Because as much as I love my daughter, she came into this world CONVINCED that everything is about to suck at any given time and needs to be convinced otherwise.

She is thirteen months old and I seriously doubt she has gone more than two hours awake and six hours sleeping without crying. She's just a high-drama diva, even though I'm easy-going, we have a mellow lifestyle, and I did tons of prenatal yoga and talked to her while she was in the womb and all that jazz.

They are who they are.

I'm pregnant with baby #2 and I pray I get a mellow child.

YES!  i love love love the fact that you wrote this.  i always felt bad talking about how good of a baby zoe was/is.  and everytime i did people would always say.... "oh, just you wait... when she's a teenager... when she's a..." etc etc.

she too did not cry hardly at all... for the first 3 months i was googling "why doesn't my baby cry?"!!hahah.  she's still awesome and people can't get over what a "happy baby" she is.

congrats to you and your happy family!

If I could get another baby like my youngest (sleeping through the night at 5 days, happy, easy, gorgeous) I'd have a dozen more. I'd have to get my husband on board, though...

Good for you!  I, too, am in the crazy-easy baby camp with my 3.5 month old and am constantly told how it can't possibly last.  But I felt the same way about being pregnant - it was like people were disappointed that I didn't have killer morning sickness or that I never experienced heartburn.  Honestly, I had a less than ideal labor (read: 26 hours ending in emergency c-section) but I don't tell everyone who pulled off natural childbirth or had labors under 10 hours that they are now doomed to have horrible children.  

Me, I congratulate the lottery winner.  Luck rubs off!

many congrats to ye and your mellow, angelic, gorgeous little girl!  i think it's awesome your kid is such a chiller.  don't let anyone make you feel guilty!  i'm in month seven of my first pregnancy and am having the BEST time - some folks comment on how it's "not fair" because of how things typically go, but i just keep on truckin' (waddeling) happily along!

sing that shit from the mountain tops, sister!  you deserve all the happy-baby glory that fable can muster.

cheers!

Wow, your girl sounds so sweet!

Having newborn twins that are 2 months old I can sure say it is a bit harder with two babies even if they are close to perfection. You might rethink the 8 idea, even if they all came out as sweet as your little Fable you would still have your hands full.

Mine are each amazing but 2 does sure wear me out some days.

Oh, dudes. I'm truly kidding re: 8 babies. I'm good with two. ;)

Rebecca,

I'm curious as to whether you have any theories on why Fable's so easygoing. I had a really rough pregnancy (not physically as much as emotionally and psychologically), and my son is easily upset, a poor sleeper, and generally demanding. I've had many people, including family members, tell me that my stress affected him poorly and poof -- crabby baby. I'd like to believe I'm not entirely to blame, but who knows? Just wondering.

my son is one of those perfect babies. well, ok, he's not a baby anymore - he just turned 3. everyone tells us they would have a baby in a second if there was a guarantee it would be just like ours. we're like, "hello?! so would we!" i always thought i'd be ready for a second child by now but i think i'm scared to press my luck - is it possible to get two perfect babies or do you pay for the first with the second? (that's another thing EVERYONE tells us...)

ugh, 21 months without a full night of sleep and counting ... I can't imagine 12 hours straight.  And I can't imagine having another at all ...

The question is this: WHAT IS YOUR SECRET, WOMAN?

I have 22 weeks until I give birth.  Don't underestimate my will to discover how on Earth you managed to have such a perfect baby...

I think I'm just lucky. I did have a very easy pregnancy, no stress or spousal blow-ups. And I'm a much more laid back mother this time around. I've never been happier in my life... maybe she responds to that with the same stoked-on-life happiness? Hal and I fought so frequently Archer's first two years and he ALWAYS responded to my pain. He cried when I cried, etc. Perhaps our babes take on our emotions more than we think?

They really need to just lay off the Octuplet lady already. I'm sure I'd rather pay taxes to support her kids than have all my money sucked into the black hole of wars and corporate welfare. Anyway, Fable is a cutie and looks pretty darn cute in pink!

What a gorgeous baby! I have a 6 month old, also a major smiler, and I totally believe our stress levels (or lack thereof) affect the baby. My first was a "colicky" kid, and I think that's mainly because I was a freaked out, jumpy first-time mama (who was not on antidepressants). My second is so chill in comparison (thank you Zoloft)!

Oh, this gives me hope.  I've been having lots of oh shit we're going to have TWO OF THESE moments lately, and evil flashbacks to Axel's not always so easygoing babyhood.  I'm going to cross my fingers that my baby takes a cue from Fable - who is lovely, by the way.